Reviewing Vol 3 of Vivaldi Bassoon Concerti & Arias is like repeating all that has been said about this extraordinarily gifted Japanese Bassoonist, Miho Fukai. I invite you to check out Vivaldi: Bassoon Concertos, Vol 1 - Fukui and Vivaldi: Bassoon Concertos, Vol 2 - Fukui, Power in which she is partnered with the hugely competent Australian Baroque Oboist, Amy Power. In this third release, Miho shares the stage with the German Bass, Dominik Wörner, with already over 90 CD and DVD recordings, of which 10 are solo, under his belt, a pillar in the world of Geistliche Musik (Accent/ Sigiswald Kuijken; BIS/Masaaki Suzuki). Reason enough to have another close look at this latest ARS Produktion release.

Vivaldi was a connoisseur of Baroque instruments like the period bassoon Miho Fukai plays for which he composed some 39 concerti (some incomplete). Collectors will be pleased to learn that the two Concerti for Bassoon and Orchestra on this SACD (RV 494 and 500) are so far the only ones available in High-Resolution. But even if they were not, Fukui’s mastery of the instrument and her tonal quality would have easily outclassed the competition. Leaving it at that, my focus will this time be on Wörner and the five Arias, handsomely placed around the Concerti and the two other pieces (Sinfonia and Concerto for Strings) allowing Ensemble F to shine.

What many are perhaps not so familiar with, is the fact that Antonio Lucio Vivaldi, next to being a virtuoso on the violin and a prolific composer, also served as a Roman Catholic Priest (Il Prete Rosso). His religious vocal oeuvre is extensive. However, for this recording arias from his operas were chosen. The difference is not as big as one might think. In those days many church repertoire singers were at the same time accomplished opera heroes. And that applies to Wörner as well.

Wörner’s voice stretches at times closer to the Baryton than the Bass and that span fits the arias wonder well. Furthermore, his Italian is exemplary, enabling him to pronounce technically difficult lines with thrilling diction. A joy to listen to. For detailed information about each of the Arias and, by the way, all the rest of the programme I may refer to Ryosuke Sakomoto’s liner notes, well worth reading.

What is well worth hearing is Ensemble F. I was once again struck by the quality of this Ensemble. With only 7 musicians (and an extra violone in the Sinfonia RV 112 and the second movement of the Bassoon Concerto RV 500), they deliver sonic support that can hardly be bettered and produce a Sinfonia that sounds like a silvery bell. The crowning cherry on the musical pudding is no doubt the ravishing String Concerto RV 738. Rather than just a band, these are confirmed soloists playing and standing together.

Like previous issues, the recording is entirely engineered in Japan, with Manfred Schumacher having done the refined end-mastering, retaining the somewhat less polished sound that is so characteristic of the period instruments used by all musicians, but in the tradition we have come to expect of ARS Produktion.

This is a winner.

Blangy-le-Château, Normandy, France.

Copyright © 2024 Adrian Quanjer and HRAudio.net

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